The Bad Penny (beta)

Some 15 years after ganging up in their home city of Beringen in Belgium (population approximately 45,000 residents), 30,000 Monkies continue to claim the throne as the country’s most enduring we’re-kidding-but-not-really-kidding, noisy, sludgy, experimental doom metal band. Or so we presume; try as we may to acquaint ourselves with every arty, far-out band in every nation on the planet, The Bad Penny still has plenty of work to achieve that mission.

We were fortunate enough, however, to recently land upon Belgian rabble-rousers 30,000 Monkies. Not only did we find the spelling of their moniker worth a chuckle, we also came across a written plea to fans that appears on the quartet’s illustrious website:

Driving the point home, here’s a truly outlandish video that the band – who would fit comfortably on a tour with Mclusky, Ken MODE and/or Melvins – released six years ago:

Wacky personas and band presentation aside, 30,000 Monkies will once again prove their mettle – and heavy, fuzzy forays into their self-constructed fun house – with the September 12 release of Super Rebound (Champagne Metal) on September 18 via FVN KULT REKORDS. That said, when the band accepted our proposal to collaborate editorially in an idiosyncratic manner – rather than toss conventional queries about their upcoming record – we thought 30,000 Monkies would be fitting ambassadors to name the best heavy bands from their home country of Belgium. They obliged, and here’s the list they compiled exclusively for The Bad Penny.